The Pneuma Review & Craig Keener

This week, I came across a newer online resource. It’s an online journal that particularly provides ministry resources and theological articles for Pentecostals and charismatics. It’s entitled The Pneuma Review, pneuma being the Greek word for spirit.

The Pneuma Review lays forth their mission statement in this way:

“To lead Pentecostal/charismatic believers to a greater understanding of God’s Word and assisting church leaders in equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. We also long for greater dialogue between Evangelicals about doctrine, and by way of an open forum, to promote Biblically-centered theological discussion on the gifts of the Spirit.”

Now, the important thing about this recent review is that Keener is Professor of New Testament at Asbury Seminary. He is no light-weight in regards to theology. Also, its worth noting that he’s theologically sharp, but he is not reformed. That’s important because, what I find most interesting in all the engagement following the Strange Fire conference is that so many folk keep emphasizing how many reformed continuationists there are, as if the sole test of good theology is that you fall within the reformed camp.

Now, I do bless God for such reformed continuationists, people such as Sam Storms, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, D.A. Carson and the like. But there are also non-reformed folk who are also continuationist – Ben Witherington, Gordon Fee, Jack Deere and Craig Keener.

I’m sure the reformed emphasis has been brought to the front because John MacArthur identifies as reformed (though it seems he is primarily Calvinist, rather than embracing of the fuller reformed identity). But let’s not think that the reformed branch of the Christian church is the only place for sound pastors and theologians who are also continuationist.